DETROIT – Opening statements got underway Thursday in the trial of two men charged in the shooting death of a 2-year-old girl outside an Inkster home.
Raphael Hearn and Raymone Jackson are accused of being responsible for killing KaMiya Gross on July 1, 2014, on Carlyle Street.
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It's alleged that Hearn was with Jackson when Jackson walked up and shot Gross once in her head as she played outside with her father and a 12-year-old family friend, Chelsea Lancaster.
Lancaster and French were also shot, but have since recovered.
In addition to the murder and gun charges, Jackson is also facing a torture charge.
-- Kenneth French
At Jackson's preliminary hearing, French testified that he knew Jackson and Hearn but there had not been any trouble between the three -- except when Hearn allegedly shot somebody at French's motorcycle club and was also shot himself.
French said he was blamed for the shooting because "I didn't do something to the dude who shot him."
When French was asked if he knew why Jackson would want to shoot him, he suggested it was in retaliation.
"The idea was to kill my baby before he killed me to make me suffer," French said.
He said he knew that was the reason because it had been posted on Facebook.
--Raymone Jackson in court
Friend of suspects says he feared for his life
Marcus Brown was with Jackson and Hearn on the day of the shooting. Brown testified that the three had gone out to get liquor and were "ridin' around" when they passed by a housing complex and Jackson pointed out that he recognized French standing outside.
Brown testified that Jackson said, "We're going to holla at that (expletive). Let me kill that (expletive)."
Brown said Jackson, who was driving, pulled the car around to the back of the housing building, pulled out a gun and walked around to the front.
"I was going to leave the situation, but I was scared," Brown said.
He said Hearn got into the driver's seat when Jackson got out. Then, about a minute later, Brown said he heard gunshots before Jackson got back and the three drove away.
When asked why he didn't call police, Brown said, "I was in fear of my life at the time."